Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has said imposing a ban on adoptions of Russian children by U.S. nationals would be "wrong."

Lavrov's comments on December 18 came as the lower house of parliament is preparing to debate legislation in a second reading on December 19 that would include a ban on such adoptions.

The proposed ban comes after U.S. President Barack Obama signed into law last week a bill that imposes sanctions on Russians allegedly connected with human rights abuses.

The "Magnitsky Act" is named after Sergei Magnitsky, a whistle-blowing Russian lawyer who died in police custody in 2009.

The State Duma has already approved in a first reading a retaliatory measure that calls for the blacklisting of Americans judged to have violated the human rights of Russians, including children adopted from Russia.